president of the Philippines, was impeached in November on charges of bribery, corruption, betraying public trust, and violating the constitution. The accusations stem from a senate hearing in which Luis Singson, governor of Ilocos Sur province, testified that he delivered to Estrada about $8 million from a gambling-payoff scheme and several more million from tobacco tax kickbacks. Estrada, a former movie actor, denied any wrongdoing. His impeachment trial began in December.